The Time Out KL blog

Your daily guide to city life, news and more in the world of pop culture and other KL related happenings

No GST for Zalora, get a discount code instead

Tue Mar 31

Keep calm and carry on shopping Yes, you read that right. Not only has Zalora decided against hiking up its prices by the new 6% GST levels for now – everyone’s favourite online retail store will be absorbing the painful prices of GST so we can all continue to upkeep our lavish lifestyles – but also, as of today throughout the month of April, you can use the voucher code ‘GSTDROP’ to enjoy a storewide 6% discount. The ‘GSTDROP’ voucher applies to all ZALORA in-house labels and international brands, as well as to a majority of the other brands on the retailer. TL;DR: On top of being GST-free, prices on Zalora will be lower than they were before the implementation of GST with the ‘GSTDROP’ vouchers in April, yay! Now if only we could flash our ‘GSTDROP’ code for, you know, everything else. Latest blog posts

'Parks and Recreation's Pawnee is modelled after KL

Fri Mar 27

Photo: NBC

Pawnee boleh! 'Parks and Recreation' fans, here’s a fun fact: Pawnee is actually based on KL. Okay, so we don’t know for sure if Mike Schur is just messing with us or if it’s actually true, but in an interview with Vulture, the Parks and Rec co-creator finally spilled the beans: ‘Okay, you can go to pretty much any town in Indiana and most people there will have a million reasons why Pawnee is based on their town – but really, it's Lafayette, right?Actually, no. I swore I would never reveal this, but now that the show is over: The actual model for Pawnee is Kuala Lumpur.’ But some things do ring a bell: Pawnee vs Eagleton, Pawnee’s penchant for unhealthy food, the travesty that is Pawnee television (Joan Callamezzo and Perd Hapley anyone?), ridiculous laws and how impossible it is to get anything done. And now that you've mentioned it Mike, we do see a bit of Hannah Yeoh and Nurul Izzah in Leslie Knope after all. Now let’s have a waffle. Latest blog posts

GST-free meals you can make at home

Fri Mar 27

How do you beat the system when GST comes into effect this April 1? Simple – make your own meals using fresh ingredients. Here's how With GST (Goods and Services Tax) about to rear its six percent-charging head and change our lives forever (or something a little less dramatic), you're probably already trying to cross off everything you can on your pre-GST bucket list (go to the movies, stock up on beauty and skincare products, get a haircut, etc.). But what happens when we enter the GST ages? We're not going to bore you with the details, so if you want a full list of everything that's subjected to GST, you can download the full list here (but we must warn you that it's a very long, boring and slightly pixelated document complete with acknowledgements and introductory messages no one really cares about). In short, fresh produce, meat, spices and controlled items like cooking oil, sugar and rice are exempted; it's mostly the pre-packaged stuff that's taxed, although exceptions...

Videos: GST songs for the weekend

Fri Mar 27

GST tanya apa khabar... As the rakyat is feverishly stocking up on GST-affected items such as shampoo and imported coffee, here are some catchy tunes to alleviate the paranoia. Fear not, for the Kastam is here to explain the Goods and Services Tax, complete with smooth harmonies, helpful infographics and karaoke-style lyrics for you to sing along. Uploaded by Youtube user selamat pagi gadis (which specialises in sensational videos such as Ustazs eating roti jala and mat kpops’ antics onstage), the three-minute video titled 'lagu GST versi Kastam' is one of the more mind-blowing multimedia creations we’ve seen this year. Check out the Royal Malaysian Customs Department’s creative efforts here: Changing track, Youtube user vitaminbie has created a GST parody from Joe Flizzow ft SonaOne’s track ‘Apa Khabar’. In comparison with the Kastam's video, there are no complex props here, but just deftly parodied lyrics from the original song. Hats off to Mr Bie for voicing our...

The best of KL in superlists: Here's a look inside the April 2015 issue

Thu Mar 26

Featuring the city's best nasi lemak, roti, vintage shops, bookstores, hiking trails and more. New issue hits newsstands April 1 In Food, we bury our fingers in rice and curry to track down some of Klang Valley's lesser known banana leaf restaurants alongside some old favourites. Also in this section: food reviews, six new restaurants and cafés to check out, and a battle of the Australian ginger beers. Looking to redecorate your home? In Shopping & Style, we check out the city's furniture and home decor stores which stock local and regional designs so your living room can also look like a trendy café. In Around Town, we check out Slackline KL to learn all about the art of balancing on a rope (tied between two trees), and tell you the best places to check out in Bangsar's Lorong Kurau. For our anniversary issue, we present to you the best things KL has to offer, from outstanding nasi lemak stalls to the top slangs only Malaysians would say, in just the way you like it: Lists!...

Video: Bihzhu’s ‘Bright Veins’

Wed Mar 25

Photo: The Spacemen

Need a midweek pick-me-up? Let Bihzhu help you – with her music anyway. The Penang-born songstress evokes optimism in her new single ‘Bright Veins’, as she assures us that ‘Everything will be okay’. Bihzhu’s comforting, honeyed vocals are accompanied by the sounds of tabla, gamelan, kompang and dholak. Directed by The Spacemen, the music video features your average Malaysians, reminding us that wherever we come from, we all need that sanguine beat to get through the day. Latest blog posts For more on Bihzhu, visit www.bihzhu.com. Buy 'Bright Veins' at bihzhu.bandcamp.com/track/bright-veins.

Coming soon: IKEA will open in Cheras at the end of 2015

Tue Mar 24

Cheras represent! Lovers of Swedish furniture and meatballs, you'll be happy to know that IKEA will finally, after almost 20 years of having just one outlet in the entire country, be opening its second Malaysian store at the end of the year. The location? Cheras. Jalan Cochrane to be exact. According to an official statement, IKEA Cheras will be 20 percent larger than IKEA Damansara; on top of our wishlist is a bigger food hall so we can enjoy our meatballs in peace without another family hovering over our table, guilt-tripping us into eating all ten pieces in ten minutes.Here's what the new opening of IKEA Cheras will mean for us all: 1. KL can actually say it has an IKEA. You know, instead of leeching off what's technically Selangor territory. 2. Going to IKEA will no longer be synonymous with 'road trip!' to folks not living in or nearby the area. Less time spent on the road, more time to contemplate whether you really need that pack of colourful napkins too pretty to even use...

The Time Out KL team pick their favourite Disney princes and princesses

Fri Mar 20

Presented in Technicolor Some of us watched Kenneth Branagh's retelling of 'Cinderella' starring Lily James and the wonderfully wicked Cate Blanchett, and it hatched heated debates in the office about our favourite and most-hated Disney characters for the whole week. Moral of the story: Do not underestimate fairytales consisting of glass slippers, singing mice and passive princesses. We conducted a poll, and data shows that...Snow White is the least popular Disney princess. Four out of seven respondents hated Snow White due to reasons such as amount of housework, deathly pale skin, and general lack of common sense. Cute pets win votes. As for Disney princes, Prince Phillip (from 'Sleeping Beauty') and Prince Eric (the dude from 'The Little Mermaid') have fans in equal measure, mostly due to their rugged good looks. Also, having a cute pet helps. Horses or dogs would do just fine. Princesses, keep it real. Meanwhile, Princesses Ariel and Pocahontas topped the polls for favourite...

Theatre and comedy events happening this weekend

Thu Mar 19

Here's where to go for laughs and a bit of culture this weekend Latest blog posts Time Out Comedy Thursday Time Out Comedy Thursday (TOCT) is the city's monthly comedy night happening on the first Thursday of every month. Since its inception in 2008, Comedy Thursday has given birth to some of today's most noted local comedians including Kuah Jenhan, Kavin Jay and Dr Jason Leong. Back at its new location at The Bee, Publika, this edition will feature headliner Rizal Van Geyzel alongside supporting acts Thenesh Skip, Aw Yuong Tuck, Matt Bellotti, Lordson Yen, and Sulaiman Azmil. Justin Heyes hosts. As with most Comedy Thursdays, expect an evening of raucous laughter, hilarious gags and some political incorrectness not for the faint-hearted. Each ticket entitles you to special F&B promotions. See you there!Ticket promo: Flash your MyRapid pass at the door to get RM10 entry. As featured in Time Out KL's 101 things to do in KL Uda dan Dara 2015 A musical adaptation of a classic...

Spend a night at Sepang International Circuit with Airbnb

Wed Mar 18

Win the best seats (and room) during the Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix To quote Queen B, ‘you wake up, flawless / ridin’ round in it, flawless’, and off to the races you go – the 2015 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix races, we mean. If your idea of the perfect weekend experience involves waking up to roaring, revving engines, a traditional Malaysian breakfast and a view of the race track’s steepest bend, this one’s for you, you lucky thing. The Sepang trackside is Airbnb’s latest addition to its ‘A Night At’ campaign, and two lucky winners – along with up to three friends, so you can rock up with your entourage – will have the chance to spend a night at the grandstand apartment at Sepang International Circuit, smack right in the middle of the heat and the heart of the action. Hosted by former pit reporter and TV personality, Sanjeev Palar, highlights include: a midnight stroll through the circuit after the stadium lights are switched off; an...

Coming soon: TREC (aka home of the new Zouk KL)

Tue Mar 17

An artist's impression of the new Zouk KL at TREC

We all know by now that Zouk KL will soon leave its 11-year-old Jalan Ampang premises for a new location, and that new location is... TREC (an acronym for Taste, Relish, Experience, Celebrate). Located on Jalan Tun Razak near the Royal Selangor Golf Club (map here), TREC is touted as the country's 'largest lifestyle and entertainment precinct along Jalan Tun Razak', and phase one of the new development – dubbed Electric Boulevard – will launch in July this year. Its first wave of confirmed tenants include Friendscino Restaurant & Bar and The Scene by Pisco. So when will the new Zouk open? The only answer to that for now is 'second quarter of 2015'. Here's what we know about the new Zouk:1. It will comprise several clubs, a VIP bar lounge, member's lounge, café and rooftop deck.2. There will be 'adequate parking facilities', private lifts, VIP concierge, various function rooms, a medical bay and more. 3. New amenities include a dedicated lane for tourists, at which they can...

The six species of marathoners in KL

Mon Mar 16

Put on the headband and do your stretches. Here are some fellow runners you'll meet on the road Find them at... The Power Couple The Power Couple trots along, hand in hand, going through life’s little challenges together. This particular kind is either born without sweat glands in their palms, or the heady mix of oxytocin and adrenaline makes them oblivious to clammy hands, whether their partner’s or their own. The Non-runner The Non-runner seems to have missed the memo that in order to participate in marathons, one has to run. This genus waddles along in groups, catching up on each other’s love lives. We suspect they’re designed for the very reason of blocking the way of serious marathoners. The Brand Ambassador The Brand Ambassador follows the major sports brands on all social media channels. Decked head to toe in perfectly coordinated neon Dri-FIT outfit, the Brand Ambassador knows that marathons are one of the only acceptable venues to play dress up in their favourite...

Go now: Avenue K rooftop

Fri Mar 13

The first rule of the rooftop is: you do not talk about the rooftop to tourists There aren’t a lot of free places to chill right in the city centre. Okay, so there's KLCC Park, but here's a place the tourists haven't found out about (yet): Avenue K's rooftop. If you intend to just linger around in a nice, quiet spot instead of losing your way amidst the joggers and camera-slinging tourists, the Avenue K rooftop is right across the road from KLCC. So now you know. Make sure your phone doesn't run out of juice for the inevitable Instagram pic you'll be taking (#ootd #cloudporn #concretejungle). To get there, take the escalator or the lift all the way to the fourth floor. The area is open daily from 5pm to 10pm. Latest blog posts

Video: Watch the trailer for the new Kurt Cobain documentary

Thu Mar 12

Here we are now, entertain us... Nirvana clawed its way out of underground rock and rolled into mainstream radio in 1991, crashing through pop culture like a wrecking ball. Kurt Cobain – their depressed, tortured leader whose name still draws fanatical adoration today despite his death 21 years ago – made fellow musicians then a little jealous. His electrifying howls, sometimes wrapped in a raging, eruptive fury, gave fans exactly what they needed: a voice aching with raw emotions so elusive, so distinctive, like a fingerprint. Fame catapulted Cobain into the highest pantheon of rock icons; fame also ate him alive. These events, alongside intimate recollections of Cobain’s early childhood and happy days with his baby daughter Frances, will be featured in director Brett Morgen’s much-anticipated documentary ‘Cobain: Montage of Heck’ – titled after a mixtape Cobain made in 1988: a 36-minute musical collage ranging from Simon & Garfunkel and Butthole Surfers to early...

Eight smartphone games to play right now

Wed Mar 11

‘Angry Birds’ and ‘Tap Tap Revenge’ are so last decade. Here's eight new mobile games that every smartphone user should own Monument Valley As far as beautifully crafted games go, ‘Monument Valley’ is a masterpiece. Set in a twee and pastel world of odd shapes and offbeat geometry, this compelling traversal puzzle game places you in the shoes of Ida, a silent princess who progresses through mazes of optical illusions and impossible objects in ten quick-fire levels. With a soundscape that is almost as mesmerising and dreamy as the art itself, ‘Monument Valley’ is the rare effort where the endgame is virtually secondary to its astonishingly executed sights and sounds. US$3.99 (about RM14.50). Available on Android and iOS. 80 Days This startlingly interactive re-imagination of Phileas Fogg’s journey around the world (from the pages of Jules Verne’s 1873 novel, ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’), is a lesson in melding brilliant narrative with the age-old...

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015 list is out, Malaysia not included

Tue Mar 10

...but Singapore is The results are out for this year's list of the best restaurants in Asia (as chosen by Diners Club Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Academy), and Malaysia, once again, didn't make the top 50. A quick scan through the list sees multiple entries from Singapore, Japan and China (they dominated the top ten with two entries each), but it's Thailand's Gaggan in Bangkok that took the top spot as the best restaurant in Asia, followed by Narisawa (Japan), Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (China), Nihonryori Ryugin (Japan) and Restaurant André (Singapore) in the top five. Other countries in the list include India, Cambodia, South Korea and the Philippines. Released annually, Asia's 50 Best Restaurants is the result of a poll of 318 experts within Asia comprising food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and 'highly regarded "foodies"'. The judging is based solely on the personal dining experiences of the panellists in the last 18 months before the voting period (there's no...

Watch movies at TGV Jaya Shopping Centre and get free goodies

Fri Mar 6

TGV Cinemas celebrates the opening of their new outlet with ‘30 Days of Goodies’ We like goodies and we like movies, so TGV Cinemas read our mind. For one whole month, the cinema will be giving away either a free movie ticket or popcorn to the first 100 cinemagoers each day. Alas, no freebies come without strings attached, so this is where you do your bit on social media: buy a movie ticket, take a photo with the TGV logo included, upload it on either Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, hashtag #TGVCinemas and get your freebie. You'll get free popcorn on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays while the rest of the week is for free movie tickets. The promotion is only valid at TGV’s shiny new outlet at Jaya Shopping Centre from March 5 to April 5. The first row of each hall at this new outlet is also fitted with beanbag seats so go ahead, make yourself at home. Visit tgv.com.my for more info. Latest blog posts

International Women's Day events happening this weekend

Video: Cinema - A long goodbye

Tue Mar 3

Photo: Mahen Bala

Documentarian Mahen Bala takes us back to the cinemas of yesteryear KL Long before the complete takeover of plush cineplexes and their digital motion pictures, there were standalone cinemas in KL, an elaborate set up of colours, lights and sound to entice the impressionable. In this short video documentary, Mahen Bala speaks to Mr Moorthy, the projectionist at Lotus Five Star Sentul Cinema. Latest blog posts For the full story, get the March issue How to stay cool in the city – March issue out now The heat is on this March, so we’re telling you how you can beat the heat with our coolest issue ever, featuring the city’s best pools, water sports, spa treats and – of course – ice cream.